U.S. patent number 7,817,136 [Application Number 11/356,386] was granted by the patent office on 2010-10-19 for dead front mouse.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Logitech Europe S.A.. Invention is credited to Jason Lee, Francois Scholder, David Shaft, Niall White.
United States Patent |
7,817,136 |
Shaft , et al. |
October 19, 2010 |
Dead front mouse
Abstract
A mouse configured to display an icon including a top housing
that is semi-opaque; and an icon indicator disposed under the top
housing, the icon indicator including a light source and an icon
plate. The light source is configured to light the icon plate to
display an icon through the top housing. The icon indicator and
icon are substantially not visible through the top housing if the
light source is not lighted.
Inventors: |
Shaft; David (Cork,
IE), Scholder; Francois (Rolle, CH), Lee;
Jason (HsinChu Hsien, TW), White; Niall (Golden,
IE) |
Assignee: |
Logitech Europe S.A.
(CH)
|
Family
ID: |
38367861 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/356,386 |
Filed: |
February 15, 2006 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20070188456 A1 |
Aug 16, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
345/163;
345/156 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
3/03543 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G09G
5/08 (20060101); G06F 3/033 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;45/156-184 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0809420 |
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Nov 1997 |
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EP |
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2343933 |
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May 2000 |
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GB |
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08-137487 |
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May 1996 |
|
JP |
|
WO 9918590 |
|
Apr 1999 |
|
WO |
|
WO 01/33540 |
|
May 2001 |
|
WO |
|
WO 0215210 |
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Feb 2002 |
|
WO |
|
Other References
German Patent & Trademark Examination Report 10 2007 007 109.6
dated Mar. 4, 2008. cited by other .
German Office action for Application No. 102007007109.6 mailed on
Nov. 25, 2009; 9 pages. cited by other .
International Search Report PCT/IB0101333 mailed on Feb. 29, 2002,
pp. 3. cited by other.
|
Primary Examiner: Kumar; Srilakshmi K
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Townsend and Townsend and Crew
LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A mouse configured to display an icon comprising: a top housing
that is semi-opaque; an icon indicator disposed under the top
housing, the icon indicator including a light source and an icon
plate, wherein the light source is configured to light the icon
plate to display an icon through the top housing, and wherein the
icon indicator and icon are substantially not visible through the
top housing if the light source is not lighted; and a processor
configured to send a control signal to the light source to turn on
or off the light source; and wherein: the top housing includes a
control button and the icon indicator is disposed under the control
button, in a lighted state of the light source the icon indicator
indicates a first function of the control button, and in
non-lighted state of the light source the control button has a
second function different from the first function.
2. The mouse of claim 1, wherein the top housing has a
transmittance of about five percent or less.
3. The mouse of claim 1, wherein the icon indicator further
includes an icon plate on which the icon is disposed.
4. The mouse of claim 3, wherein the icon is a transparent portion
of the icon plate and a portion of the icon plate surrounding the
icon is substantially not transparent.
5. The mouse of claim 3, wherein the icon is a substantially not
transparent portion of the icon plate and a portion of the icon
plate surrounding the icon is transparent.
6. The mouse of claim 3, wherein the icon plate includes a coating
with the icon formed in the coating.
7. The mouse of claim 6, wherein the coating is disposed on a top
surface or a bottom surface of the icon plate.
8. The mouse of claim 7, wherein the coating is paint.
9. The mouse of claim 8, wherein the icon is laser etched in the
paint.
10. The mouse of claim 1, wherein the icon indicator further
includes a light pipe disposed between the light source and the
icon plate.
11. The mouse of claim 1, wherein the top housing includes at least
one control button.
12. A mouse configured to display an icon comprising: a top housing
including a set of control button, wherein the top housing is
semi-opaque; and an icon indicator disposed under the top housing,
the icon indicator including a light source; an icon plate; a light
pipe configured to direct light from the light source to the icon
plate; a light shield configured to block light traveling away from
the icon plate; and a processor configured to send a control signal
to the light source to turn on or off the light source, wherein:
the top housing includes a control button and the icon plate is
disposed under the control button, if the light source is lighted,
the light source is configured to light the icon plate to display
an icon through the control button to indicate a first function of
the control button, and if the light source is not lighted the icon
plate and the icon are substantially not visible through the top
housing and the control button has a second function different from
the first function.
13. The mouse of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to
send the control signal to the light source to light the light
source in response to a received command from computer code
executed by a computer that the mouse is configured to control.
14. The mouse of claim 12, further comprising a motion detector
configured to control a function associated with the icon if the
icon is lighted and if the mouse is moved in a predetermined
motion.
15. The mouse of claim 14, wherein the icon is a volume icon.
16. The mouse of claim 15, wherein the predetermined motion is up
and/or down.
17. The mouse of claim 12, wherein the light source is laterally
disposed with respect to the icon plate and the light pipe is
configured to direct the light laterally from the light source and
the icon plate.
18. The mouse of claim 12, wherein the light pipe includes
diffusing particles to defuse the light in the light pipe.
19. A mouse configured to display an icon comprising: left and
right control buttons; a middle control button disposed between the
left and right control buttons; a switch disposed under the middle
control button and configured to be activated if the middle control
button is pressed; a touch pad disposed under the middle control
button and configured to detect movement of an object on a top
surface of the middle control button; at least one icon indicator
including a light source both disposed under at least a given one
of the left, right, and middle control buttons, wherein the icon
indicator is configured to be lighted by the light source to
project an icon onto an under surface of the given control button
under which the icon indicator is located to project the icon
through the given control button; and a processor configured to
send a control signal to the light source to turn on or off the
light source, wherein: if the light source is lighted, the light
source is configured to light the icon indicator to display an icon
through the given control button to indicate a first function of
the control button, and if the light source is not lighted the icon
indicator and icon are substantially not visible through the top
housing and the control button has a second function different from
the first function.
20. The mouse of claim 19, further comprising a haptic feedback
device configured to provide haptic feedback if a the touch pad
detects movement of the object.
21. The mouse of claim 20, wherein the haptic feedback include
vibration.
22. The mouse of claim 21, wherein the haptic feedback device is a
vibration device.
23. The mouse of claim 19, wherein the icon indicator includes: an
icon plate that has the icon formed thereon or therein, a light
pipe configured to direct light from the light source to the icon
plate, and a light shield configured to block light traveling away
from the icon plate.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to an input device, such as
a mouse, and more particularly relates to a mouse that includes a
dead front display.
Input devices for computers and the like typically include mice,
keyboards, joysticks, touch pads and the like for computer control.
These input devices are typically used to control computer
applications that typically include graphical objects that may be
manipulated by the input device. Typical input devices often
include one or more buttons and a roller for computer control.
Traditional input devices do not provide information to the user
for an operation mode the input device is operating in.
New mice are needed that provide information for an operation mode
in which the control device is operating.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally provides an input device, such as a
mouse, and more particularly provides a mouse that includes a dead
front display.
According to one embodiment, the mouse includes a top housing that
is semi-opaque; and an icon indicator disposed under the top
housing. The icon indicator includes a light source and an icon
plate. The light source is configured to light the icon plate to
display the icon through the top housing. The icon indicator and/or
icon are substantially not visible through the top housing if the
light source is not lighted. According to a specific embodiment,
the top housing has a transmittance of about five percent or less.
The combination of the icon and/or the icon indicator not being
visible through the semi-opaque top housing if the icon indicator
is not lighted, and the visibility of the icon through the top
housing if the icon indicator is lighted is generally referred to
herein as "dead front."
According to another embodiment, the mouse includes a top housing
that in turn includes a set of control button, wherein the top
housing is semi-opaque; and an icon indicator disposed under the
top housing. The icon indicator includes i) a light source, ii) an
icon plate, iii) a light pipe configured to direct light from the
light source to the icon plate, and iv) a light shield configured
to block light traveling away from the icon plate. If the light
source is lighted, the light source is configured to light the icon
plate to display an icon through the top housing. If the light is
not lighted the icon indicator and icon are substantially not
visible through the top housing. According to a specific
embodiment, the icon indicator is disposed under one of the control
buttons. According to another specific embodiment, the mouse might
include a motion detector configured to control a function
associated with the icon if the mouse is moved in a predetermined
motion. The icon might be a volume icon, and the predetermined
motion might be up and/or down.
According to another embodiment, the mouse includes left and right
control buttons; a middle control button disposed between the left
and right control buttons; a switch disposed under the middle
control button and configured to be activated if the middle control
button is pressed; and a touch pad disposed under the middle
control button and configured to detect movement of an object on a
top surface of the middle control button.
According to another embodiment, the mouse includes a top housing
that is substantially opaque; and an icon indicator disposed under
the top housing. The icon indicator includes i) an icon plate that
includes a plurality of icons thereon and includes a set of light
baffles, and ii) a plurality of light sources that respectively
correspond to the plurality of icons. The icon plate is configured
to direct light from a given one of the light sources to a given
one of the icons associated with the given light source. The light
baffles are configured to block light from illuminating others of
the icons not associated with the given light source. Each light
source is configured to light an associated icon plate to display
the icon on this icon plate through the top housing. The icon
indicators and/or icons are substantially not visible through the
top housing if the light sources are not lighted.
A better understanding of the nature and advantages of the present
invention may be gained with reference to the following detailed
description and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic of a mouse having a top housing
and a set of control buttons according to one embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic of a control system of the
mouse;
FIG. 3A is a simplified cross-sectional view of the mouse from a
side of the mouse;
FIG. 3B is a simplified cross-sectional view of the mouse from a
side of the mouse according to another embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 4A is a simplified side view of the mouse with a coating
applied to the top housing and/or the control buttons;
FIG. 4B is a simplified schematic showing that the optical coating
is applied to a limited portion of the top housing according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5A is a simplified side view of an icon indicator according to
one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5B is a simplified side view of the mouse having icon
indicator disposed therein;
FIG. 5C is a simplified schematic of an icon indicator that
includes an icon indicator that is a light pipe;
FIG. 5D is a cross-section view of the mouse wherein the mouse
includes a plurality of icon indicators shown in FIG. 5D;
FIG. 6 is a top view of an icon indicator according to one
embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 7A is a simplified schematic of icons and its associated icon
plates that might be included in icon indicator according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7A is a simplified schematic of icons and its associated icon
plates that might be included in icon indicator according to
another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7C is a simplified schematic of a top view of a number of icon
indicators;
FIG. 8 is a simplified schematic of an icon indicator according to
another embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 9 and 10 are respective side and top view of an icon
indicator according to another embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 11 is a simplified schematic of mouse wherein a number of icon
indicators are lighted according to one embodiment of the present
invention; and
FIG. 12 is a simplified schematic of mouse wherein a number of icon
indicators are lighted according to another embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a simplified top view of a mouse 100 having a top housing
105 and a set of control buttons 110. A set as referred to herein
may include one or more members. According to one embodiment, the
set of control buttons 110 includes a left control button 110a, a
right control button 110b, and a middle control button 110c.
According to some embodiments, the mouse includes control buttons
110d-110h. It should be understood that the elements shown in the
various figures may not be drawn to scale, but may be scaled for
convenience to add clarity to the figures and the description
thereof. Mouse 100 may be configured to control a computer, a set
top box, a laptop computer, a palm top computer or the like.
FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic of a control system 115 of mouse
100. Control system 100 may be a printed circuit board (PCB) that
includes a power source 120 configured to power a micro controller
125, a memory 130, a transmitter (or transceiver) 135 that is
configured to communicate with the computer or the like, a
detection and encoder circuit 140, a power supply 143, and a bus
145 that may communicatively couple these devices. The PCB might
also include a motion detector 147 that is configured to detect
movement of the mouse. For example, the motion detector might be
configured to detect the mouse being lifted from the surface of a
table or the like. The motion detector might also be configured to
detect left or right motion (lateral motion and/or pivot motion) of
the mouse. The motion detector might be configured to detect up or
down motion of the mouse, or may be configured to detect other
motions, such as diagonal motions, arc motions, circular motions or
the like. The motion detector might include one or more tuning fork
type motion detectors, one or more gyroscopic type detectors (e.g.,
Coriolis force detectors), one or more accelerometers, one or more
magnetometers (e.g., manufactured by Hillcrest Laboratories Inc. of
Rockville Md.) or the like. The PCB may include other electronic
modules as will be well know by those of skill in the art.
The left and right control buttons may be configured for
traditional use, such as for launching a drop down menu, selecting
a screen item or the like. According to one embodiment the left and
right control buttons are cantilever mounted to the top housing.
The left control button may be configured to flex at a hinge point
(e.g., at approximately the cantilever mount portion of the button)
under a user pressing force to activate a switch 155a (see FIG. 3A)
disposed under the button. The switch may be disposed at an
approximately midpoint of the left control button. The left control
button may be relatively thin and may be configured to flex in a
central potion 160a if, for example, the user presses the button at
the central portion. For example, if the left control button is
attached to the front of the mouse body, the button might flex in
the middle if a user presses on the button. The right control
button is similarly configured to the left control and may be
configured to flex at a hinge points (e.g., at approximately the
cantilever mount portion of the button) under a user pressing force
to activate a switch (not shown) disposed under a central portion
of the button. To effect flexure in the middle portions of the left
and right control buttons, these buttons may be fabricated from
relatively thin plastic, such as plastic that is approximately 0.2
millimeters to approximately 0.05 millimeters thick.
According to one embodiment, the middle control button 110c is
configured to be pressed to activate a switch 155c that is disposed
under the control button. Activation of switch 155c may be
configured to effect functions similar to those of a traditional
mouse scroll wheel being pressed, such changing the mouse scroll
wheel functions and the like. The middle control button is further
configured to be touched by a user as the user slides her finger
across the control button to perform the scroll wheel functions of
a traditional mouse scroll wheel, such as document scrolling,
enlarging and or reducing a document, scrolling through drop down
windows and the like. FIG. 3B is a simplified schematic of another
embodiment of the mouse that includes a middle control button 110c
that is configured to rock on a rocker support 157 to activate a
front switch 155d or a back switch 155e.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the middle
control button is coupled to a touch pad 170 that is configured to
detect the movement of a user's finger across the middle control
button as the user slides her finger across the button. The mouse
is configured to encode the user's touch on the touch pad to
generation scroll wheel type commands, such as those described
above and those that are well known to those of skill in the
art.
According to one embodiment, a vibration device 172 (i.e., a haptic
feedback device) is coupled to the middle control button and/or to
the touch pad. The vibration device may be of the type used in cell
phones, pagers, a solenoid and the like to vibrate these devices on
the receipt of an incoming telephone call or the like. According to
one embodiment, as the user moves her finger along the middle
control button, and as the touch pad detects this movement, the
touch pad may be configured to single the vibration device to
vibrate and thereby provide tactile feedback to the user that her
touch on the button is being detected and encoded. While the
vibration device is shown in FIG. 3A as being coupled to a front
portion of the middle control button, the vibration device may be
coupled to other portions of the middle control button or to other
portions of the mouse.
According to one embodiment, the top housing and the control
buttons are substantially opaque (sometimes referred to herein as
semi-opaque). For example, the top housing and the control buttons
are configured to block about 95% or more of the light passing
trough the top housing and the control buttons. Alternatively
stated, the transmittance of the top housing and control buttons
may be about 5% or less. As the transmittance is substantially low
(e.g., about 5% or less), light entering from the top of the top
housing and control buttons will substantially not be reflected
back from the interior structures under the top housing and buttons
and will therefore not permit a user to see substantially any of
these interior structures. However, light from a light source under
the top housing and/or the control buttons will pass through the
top housing and/or control buttons, such that this light will be
visible to a user. According to one embodiment, the plastic from
which the top housing and the control buttons are formed have the
described substantial opacity (or transmittance). According to
another embodiment, a coating 190 (see FIG. 4A) is applied to the
top housing and/or the control buttons that has the foregoing
described opacity. While coating 190 is shown if FIG. 4A as being
on the top surface of the top housing and the control buttons, the
coating may be applied to the bottom surface of the top housing and
the control buttons. The coating may alternatively be applied to
both the top surfaces and the bottom surfaces of the top housing
and the control buttons. According to one embodiment, the coating
is paint and may be sprayed or otherwise applied to the top housing
and the control buttons.
FIG. 4B is a simplified schematic showing that the optical coating
190 is applied to a limited portion of the top housing according to
one embodiment of the present invention. The limited portion may be
an integrated piece of the top housing or may be in inserted
portion of the top housing, such as an inserted piece of plastic
that is not integrally formed with the remainder of the top
housing.
According to one embodiment, at least one of the control buttons
includes an icon indicator disposed under this control button and
is configured to be lighted to convey operation mode information or
the like to the user. The operation mode information may indicate a
particular function that a control button is configured to effect
if the button is pressed or touched. If the operation mode
information is not displayed by the icon indicator, the control
button may be configured to effect a function not associated with
the icon indicator. Examples of such function controls and icon
indicators are described in further detail below. FIG. 5A is a
simplified side view of an icon indicator 500 according to one
embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 5B is a simplified side view
of mouse 100 having icon indicator 500 disposed therein. The left
control button is not shown in FIG. 5B for convenience. Various
icon indicators may be disposed under or below the control buttons
and/or the top housing. The word "below" as referred to herein may
include a first element disposed adjacent to a second element, and
in a lower position than the second element. According to one
embodiment, icon indicator 500 includes an icon plate 505, a light
source 510, and a light shield 515. According to a specific
embodiment of the invention, the icon indicator includes a light
pipe 517 configured to direct light from the light source through
the icon plate. According to one embodiment, the icon indicator
does not include a light pipe, and light from the light source may
be transmitted directly to the icon plate. The light source might
be an LED, a light bulb, an electroluminescent device or the like.
FIG. 5C is a simplified schematic of an icon indicator 500' that
includes an icon indicator 505' that is a light pipe. Icon
indicator 505' includes an icon 520 that may be disposed on the top
surface of the icon plate or may be molded into the icon plate as
will be discussed in further detail below. FIG. 5D is a
cross-section view of the mouse wherein the mouse includes a
plurality of icon indicators 505'. The LEDs of these icon
indicators might be single color LEDs or multi-color LEDs to
display the icons of the icon indicators in a variety of colors.
While the mouse in FIG. 5D is shown with multiple icon indicators
500', the mouse may includes other icon indicators described
herein.
FIG. 6 is a top view of icon indicator 500 according to one
embodiment of the invention. The icon plate includes an icon 600
thereon to present the operation information to the user if the
light is lighted. Icon as referred to herein may include a set of
graphics, one or more words or a combination thereof. For example,
the icon might include the word music, volume, word processing,
spell, mail, or nearly any information that might be conveyed about
the operation mode of the mouse. As shown in FIG. 7A, the icon
might include a battery 700 with a series of charge level
indicators 705. Such a battery charge indicator might be disposed
under a portion of the top housing to indicate the amount of charge
left on the mouse's power supply 143 (see FIG. 2). According to one
embodiment, a number of icon indicators may be disposed under or
below the control buttons. For example, if the mouse is a gaming
mouse, the icons associated with the various control buttons might
include: play, restart, fire, jump, or other icons relevant to
computer gaming or the like. The light sources may be lighted based
on a variety of condition. The light sources may be controlled to
light by the various computer programs being run by a computer the
mouse is controlling. For example, if the user uses the mouse for
controlling a computer game running on the computer, then the light
sources might be lighted to indicate the function of one or more of
the control buttons for game playing. More specifically, the
computer program running on the computer might direct the computer
to transmit a control command to the mouse's transceiver and
processor, which in turn directs the light source to light.
According to another example, if the user uses the mouse to control
a word processing program, then the icons of the icon sources might
indicate word processing functions of the various control buttons,
such as spell, cut, copy, paste, etc. The foregoing are example of
computer applications that might be configured to light the icon
sources for display of various operation modes of the mouse and the
control buttons and should not be viewed as limiting the
embodiments of the invention of the appended claims.
According to one embodiment, the top surface or the bottom surface
of the icon plate is coated with a substantially opaque material,
such as black paint 705 (see FIG. 7B) and the icon is laser etched
(sometimes referred to herein as laser ablated) into the black
paint (indicated by cross hatching in FIG. 7B). Laser etching
provides that icons may be relatively small but with crisp
boundaries so that the icons are discernable by the user. The icons
may be placed on the icon plate shield by other methods such as
lithography, printing, chemical etching or the like. According to
one embodiment, the icons are molded into the icon plate. For
example, the central portion of the icon plate that includes the
icon may be transparent and the outer portion may be opaque. Or the
control portion of the icon plate may be opaque and the outer
portion may be transparent.
FIG. 7C is a simplified schematic of a top view of a number of icon
indicators, such as icon indicators 500c. Each of the middle icons
may be configured to be lighted by two colors. The middle icons may
be lighted with a light color (e.g., green) to match a green color
of one of the end icons, such as the running man icon to indicate a
speed factor of the mouse or the like. The middle icons may be
lighted with another light color (e.g., red) to match a red color
of the other end icon, the battery, to indicate the remaining power
of the batter. The icon indicators may be disposed under a top
housing shown in FIG. 4A that includes a substantially continuous
coating, or may be disposed under the limited portion of the coated
housing shown in FIG. 4B.
FIG. 8 is a simplified schematic of an icon indicator 800
configured for use with mouse 100 according to another embodiment
of the present invention. The numeral scheme used above to identify
elements of icon indicator 500 is used to identify the same or
similar elements of icon indicator 800. Icon indicator 800 differs
from icon indicator 500 in that icon indicator 800 includes a
laterally disposed light pipe 805 that is configured to direct
light laterally and upward from light source 510 to icon plate 505.
According to one embodiment, light shields 515 are opaque to
prevent light from escaping from the light shield other than the
icon plate. The light pipe and light shields may be duel injection
molded or formed by other methods. According to one embodiment, the
light pipe my include particles suspended therein to diffuse the
light traveling through the light pipe.
FIGS. 9 and 10 are respective side and top view of an icon
indicator 900 according to another embodiment of the present
invention. The icon indicator 900 includes a bottom reflective
layer 905, a light pipe layer 910, a light source 915 (e.g., a
LED), first and second light collimating layers 920 and 925, and a
top reflective layer 930 that includes one or more icon 930 formed
thereon, for example via a laser etched coating, molded plastic or
the like as described above. The light pipe layer is configured to
spread the light from the LED, and the collimating layers are
configured to direct light that is traveling in direction other
than upward into an upward direction to illuminate the top
reflective layer. The top reflective layer may have a transmittance
of about 10% or less, and according to a particular embodiment of
about 5% or less. Icon indicator 900 may be disposed in a mouse as
described above or in other types of control devices. According to
one embodiment, the light pipe layer and LED may substituted with
an electroluminescent layer.
FIG. 11 is a simplified schematic of mouse 100 wherein a number of
icon indicators are lighted according to one embodiment of the
invention. The icon indicators include a battery icon and battery
power level icons 1105, a volume icon 1110 for a control button
configured for volume control, a fast forward icon 1115, a reverse
icon 1120, a play-pause icon 1125, a menu icon 1130, a back icon
1135, scroll icons 1140, and a power icon 1145. The mouse might
also includes an icon indictor for a decorative icon 1150. The
icons in the particular embodiment of the mouse shown in FIG. 11
might be associated with the mouse entering a entertain control
mode, such as for controlling a media player operating on the
computer. According to one embodiment, if the volume icon is
lighted, and the control button associated with the volume icon is
pressed, the motion detector is activated and up or down movement
and/or up or down tilt of the mouse well effect volume control of
the computer or other device the mouse is configured to control. If
these icons are not lighted, then the icons will not be visible to
the mouse user. According to one embodiment, if the icons are not
lighted, then the functions of the control buttons are associated
with functions other than those function associated with the
icons.
FIG. 12 is a simplified schematic of mouse 100 wherein a number of
icon indicators are lighted according to another embodiment of the
invention. The icons includes a battery icon and battery power
level icons 1205, the volume ("vol") icon 1210, a view icon 1215, a
menu icon 1220, a back icon 1225, scroll icons 1230, a power icon
1235, and a decorative icon 1240. It should be understood that the
icons shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 are exemplary and that mouse 100 may
be configured to display other icons.
According to one embodiment, the top surface of an icon plate may
be curved in one or two dimension to that the curve of the top
surface substantially matches the interior curved surface of the
top housing or a control button. For example, the top surface of
the icon plate associated with battery icon and the battery power
level icons 1105 may be complimentary curved to substantially match
the interior curve of the rear portion of the top plate.
It is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments described
above are for illustrative purposes only and that various
modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to
persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit
and purview of this application and scope of the appended claims.
For example, while dead front embodiments for mice have been
described, dead front embodiment may also be used in keyboards,
game controllers, joy sticks, remote controls and other control
devices. Therefore, the above description should not be understood
as limiting the scope of the invention as defined by the
claims.
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